Support means for tubes or groups of tubes heated by hot gas



Oct. 30, 1962 w. OTT 3,060,909

SUPPORT MEANS FOR TUBES OR GROUPS OF TUBES HEATED BY HOT GAS Filed May 25, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jnven/ar:

HLTEP O77? W. OTT

Oct. 30, 1962 SUPPORT MEANS FOR TUBES OR- GROUPS OF TUBES HEATED BY HOT GAS Filed May 25, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jn van/0r: MLTEPOTZ l ffornf Fig.8

3,06il,909 SUPPORT MEANS FOR TUBES R GROUPS OF TUBES HEAT-El) BY HOT GAS Walter Ott, Elgg, Zurich, Switzerland, assignor to Sulzer Fret-es, S.A., Winterthur, Switzerland, a corporation of Switzerland Filed May 25, 1960, Ser. No. 31,731 Claims priority, application Switzerland May 30, 1959 9 Claims. (Cl. 122-510) The present invention relates to a structure for supporting tubes or groups of tubes forming part of tube packages which are located invgas-heated chambers whose walls are lined with tubes particularly as used in connection with forced =flow steam or vapor generators.

In the structure according to the invention, the tubes or groups of tubes are placed on a framework comprising horizontal carrier tubes which extend from wall lining tubes and include return bends, the carrier tubes being supported by vertical tubes placed in spaced relation in the gas-heated chamber.

The novel features which are considered characteristic of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, and additional objects and advantages thereof will best be understood from the following description of embodiments thereof when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are diagrammatic vertical sectional views placed at a right angle with respect to each other of the convection part of a forced flow steam generator.

FIGS. 3 to 7 illustrate portions of a tubular framework according to the invention wherein the return bends and the portions of the horizontal carrier tubes extending therefrom are in a horizontal plane.

FIG. 3 is an elevation looking in the direction of arrows III in FIG. 4.

FIG. 4 is an elevation at a right angle to elevation shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a plan view looking in the direction of arrows V in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is an elevation of a different portion of the framework in the same plane as the elevation shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the framework portion shown in FIG. 6 looking in the direction of the arrows VII in FIG. 6.

FIGS. 8 to 12 illustrate portions of a tubular framework according to the invention wherein the return bends and the portions of the horizontal carrier tubes extending therefrom are placed in vertical planes. I

FIG. 8 is an elevation looking in the direction of the arrows VIII in FIG. 9.

FIG. 9 is an elevation at right angle to the elevation shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a plan view looking in the direction of the arrows X in FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is an elevation of a difierent portion of the framework in the same plane as the elevation shown in FIG. 9.

FIG. 12 is a plan view of the framework portion shown in FIG. 11 looking in the direction of the arrows XII in FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is a diagrammatic end view of means for connecting superimposed tubes of a tube package.

FIG. 14 is a large scale part sectional elevation of a detail of a framework according to the invention.

atent FIG. '15 is :an elevation of the detail shown in FIG. 14, the elevation being at a right angle with respect to that shown in FIG. 14.

Referring more particularly to FIGS. .1 and 2 of the drawing, numeral 1 designates a .flue of a forced flow steam generator which flue is connected to a combustion chamber located at the left side of FIG. 1 and not shown. The flue receives hot combustion gases from the combustion chamber through an opening 2, the gases flowing in downward direction through a chamber 4 formed by walls 3 and 3a and leave the chamber through outlets 6 to be conducted to a stack which is not shown.

Spaced vertical tubes 16 connected to an upper header 17 receive relatively cool operating medium therefrom and conduct the operating medium to a lower header or collector 10. These tubes 16 form the main support for a framework carrying heating tubes located in the chamber 4 and receiving heat primarily by convection. Tubes forming groups I11 conduct relatively hot operating medium from the lower header 10 to an upper header 8. The tubes forming the groups 11 have vertical portions lining parts of the walls 3a and individually have horizontal portions 12, 13, 14 and 15 extending into the chamber 4. The tube portions 12 to 15 are carried by the tubes .16 which are placed in spaced relation in three vertical planes in the chamber 4. Three groups of tubes 16 are shown to illustrate an embodiment of the invention. There may be more or less groups of vertical substantially parallel tubes, without departing from the scope of the present invention. Tubes 7 lining portions of the small sides of the chamber 4 which portions are not lined by the tubes .11, extend from the header 8 to a header 9 (FIG. 2), the operating medium which now has the highest temperature flowing in downward direction through the tubes 7. The previously described tubes 16 are individually supported by conventional means, not shown, and depend from the ceiling of the chamber 4. The invention is not limited to the described directions of flow of the operating medium through the tubes forming the support system or framework.

The horizontal carrier tubes 12 to '15 which are formed by portions of the tubes of the groups 11, and the vertical tubes 16 form a frame workrin'to which tube packages 18, 19 and 20 are inserted. As seen in FIG. 1, the packages 18 individually consist of three tubes, each of which has two opposite hairpin bends, and rest on the horizontal carrier tubes 12 and 13. The diameter of the tubes forming the packages 18 is greater than the diameter of the tubes forming the packages 19 and 20. If the packages 18 serve, for example, as a regulating heating surface of a reheater, relatively small diameter tubes may be coaxially placed in relatively large diameter tubes as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15 whereby, for example, the inner tube receives live steam and the annular space between the tubes receives the medium pressure steam which is to be reheated.

The tubular support structure according to the invention may be used for supporting tube pack-ages in which the individual tubes are placed at any desired spacing. The vertical tubes of the framework according to the invention may have :any 'desired and different diameters since the tubes of the supported tube packages rest on the horizontal carrier tubes. If no horizontal carrier tubes are provided, an individual vertical supporting tube must be provided for-each row of tubes of a package which are located in a vertical plane. This makes it necessary that the horizontal distance between juxtaposed tubes of a package is exactly the same throughout the entire length of the vertical support tubes. In this case, the vertical tubes would form a vertical wall across the chamber 4 which interferes with the circulation of the combustion gases and facilitates accumulation of dust and ash.

FIG. 2 shows that the dilference between the spacing of the tubes forming the package 18 and the spacing between the tubes forming the packages 19 and 20 does not in any way interfere with using the novel support according to the invention. In the tubular framework forming this support, the spacing of the tubes 16 which are located in the same plane is so great that the tubes do not interfere with the flow of the combustion gases through the packages 18, 19 and 20. The gases can flow freely through the entire width of the chamber 4 and the tubes 16 are exposed to heat on all sides. With the arrangement according to the invention, the number of support noses 28 which must be connected to the tubes '16 is considerably smaller than the number of support noses required by conventional arrangements. These noses are subject to corrosion, particularly if fuel oil is used in the combustion chamber. The support noses can be made smaller so that they are more efliectively cooled and their temperature is below the corrosion temperature which is between 500 C. and 600 C. With the support arrangement according to the invention, these noses can be made of steel which is not alloyed and need not be made of expensive material.

FIG. 3 which is an elevation of a portion of the framework, looking in the direction of arrows 'IIIIII of FIG. 4, shows a portion of the tube package 18 in front of a group of tubes 11 forming a part of the lining of the left vertical wall 3a (FIG. 2). A tube 21, which is one of the tubes of a group 11, is placed along the wall 3a in the same plane as the other tubes of the group 11 and is twice rectangularly bent as shown in FIG. 4. The bend 22 extends so far into the chamber 4 as to atford formation of a second bend 23 (FIG. and to place the subsequent portion 24 of the tube 21 in horizontal position parallel to the wall 3a in front of the remaining tubes of the group 11. The horizontal tube portion 24 forms a right angle bend 25 (FIG. 5) and continues into a second horizontal portion 26 which extends into the chamber 4 and is adjacent to the tubes 16. The horizontal portion 26 is bent through 180 to continue into a horizontal portion 27 which is parallel to the portion 26.

The carrier tube or arm 12 as well as the tubular arm 13 are horizontal (FIG. 2). The portions 26 and 27 of the arms straddle the vertical tubes 16 so that support noses 28 which are welded to opposite sides of the tubes 16 for supporting the tube portions 26 and 27 can be very short. \e 7 Since the width of the chamber 4 is considerable, support arms 12 are provided extending from the left tube lining 7 and support arms 13 are provided extending from the right tube lining 7. The free ends of the arms overlap each other as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, so that also a central tube 29 of the package 18 is supported. If the tubes 16 supporting the arm 12 are in the same plane as the tubes 16 supporting the arm 13 as shown in FIG. 7, the free ends of the arms 12 and 13, which are juxtaposed, must be a little bent. This is not necessary if the plane in which the support tubes 16 of the arm 12 are located is somewhat offset to the parallel plane in which the support tubes 16 of the arm 13 are located.

Spacers 31 are welded to the portion 26 of the arms 12 and 13 to prevent lateral movement of the tubes forming the package 18 so that the resistance of the tube package to the flow of the combustion gas is substantially the same continuing through a bend 34 into a horizontal portion 33 which is in front of the tube wall 7 and below the tube portion 24 (FIG. 3). The horizontal portion 33 continues through a rectangular bend 35 horizontally towards the plane of the tube group 11. The tube is then bent downward at 36 to form the lower part of the tube 21 which is in the plane of the tube group 11.

FIGS. 8 to 10 illustrate how a tube 37 is bent out of the tube wall 7 to form an arm 14 for supporting the tube packages 19 or 20. The upper portion 37a of the tube 37 has a right angle bend 38 and a bend 39 for producing a horizontal tube portion 41 in front of the tube group 11 which horizontal portion extends to the plane of the vertical carrying tubes 16 and is bent at a right angle thereat to continue parallel to the plane of the tubes 16 and to form a carrier tube 42 of a support arm 14 (FIG. 10). An arm 15 extending from the right side into the chamber 4, as seen in FIG. 2, is built symmetrically to the arm '14. Each of the arms '14 and 15 comprises an upper carrier tube 42 and a lower carrier tube 43 which is spaced from and vertically below the tube 42. The tubes 42 and 43 are interconnected at the free end of the arms by a vertical tube portion. In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. l and 2, the upper tubes 45 of a package 19 rest on a carrier tube 42 and the lower tubes 46 of the package rest on a carrier tube 43.

The carrier tube 43 extends back to the tube wall 7 and is bent at a right angle thereat to run as a horizontal tube portion 47 along the tube wall and to finally continue as tube portion 37b downward in the plane of the tubewall 7.

As seen in FIG. 2, three arms 14 or 15 are provided for each tube package 19 and three arms 14 or 15 are provided for each package 20. Each arm is bent out of one of the seven tubes forming a wall group 11. The seventh tube of a group 11 is used for forming an arm 12 or 13. The heated lengths of the tubes of the group 11 are greater than the heated lengths of the remaining wall tubes 7. The tubes of a group 11 are connected to "a common lower collector 10 which is separate from a collector 9 to which the other wall tubes are connected (FIG. 1 and 2). More than one support arm may be formed by a tube of a group 11. In that case, the tubes forming more than one arm should be connected to a header which is separate from the header to which tubes are connected which form only one arm of throttle means must be provided in the tubes which form only one arm to make their flow resistance equal to that of the tubes forming more than one arm.

The tubes of the groups 11 extend upward from the collector 10 to the collector 8. They form part of the tube wall 7. The remaining part of the tube wall 7 is formed by tubes connecting the collector 8 to the collector 9. All this assures best possible equalization of flow of operating medium through all tubes in the chamber 4.

The tube packages 18 will in most cases be resuperheaters whereas the tube packages 19 and 20 will be live steam superheaters or economizers for heating the feedwater. The tubs of the package 20 are connected to an inlet header 48 (FIG. 1) and are individually connected by tubes 49 to the tubes of the package 19. The outlets of the tubes of the package 19 are connected to an outlet header '51. The packages 18 are provided with inlet and outlet headers which are not shown.

The tubes of the packages 18, 19 and 20 which are located in the same vertical plane are connected by vertical connecting elements 53, 52"(FIGS. 4, 6 and 9, 11). These connecting elements are preferably located in the neighborhood of the carrying tubes 16. The connecting 56 which is embraced by an upper part 57. The latter is welded to a tube 58. The connector shown in FIG. 13 can absorb tension as well as pressure forces. Since the bulge 56 extends longitudinally of the tubes 55 and 58, the connection can absorb unequal heat expansion of the tubes 55 and 58 without being unduly stressed.

FIGS. 14 and 15 show the support noses 23 in larger scale. There is a groove 59 in the top of the noses 28 into which extend protuberances 61 which are welded t the carrier tubes 26 and 27. Tubes 62 of a package 18 rest freely on the carrier tubes 26 and 27, spacers 31 being provided to prevent undesired lateral movement of the tubes 62.

Inside the tubes 62, tubes 63 are arranged and held coaxially in the tubes 62 by means of webs 64. Such coaxial tubes are used, for example, in resuperheaters, whereby the live steam is conducted through the inner tubes 63 and the medium pressure steam flows through the space between the tubes 62 and 63. This arrangement calls for quite a difference between the outer diameter of the tubes 62 of the package 18 and of the tubes of the package 19. The framework according to the invention permits support of both packages. As is obvious from FIG. 1, the tube packages 18, 19 and 20 can easily be inserted into the framework from the left to the right, if the respective portions of the walls 3 are removed.

I claim:

1. In a heat transfer apparatus having a chamber passed through by hot heating gases and having a ceiling and vertical opposed walls, tubes lining said Walls and conducting a fluid to be heated, and tube packages placed in said chamber and conducting a fluid to be heated:

a framework for supporting said tube packages, said framework including spaced vertical heating tubes conducting a fluid to be heated and placed in the interior of said chamber in spaced relation to the tubes lining said opposed Walls, said spaced vertical heating tubes depending from the ceiling of said chamber and being placed in spaced parallel vertical planes extending at a right angle to said opposed walls, and

a plurality of vertically spaced support means connected to each of said spaced vertical heating tubes and placed in a plurality of vertically spaced horizontal planes,

said wall lining tubes individually including portions bent at a right angle and extending normal to the Wall lined by said Wall lining tubes and forming horizontal carrier tubes individually resting on the support means which are in the same horizontal plane and connected to the vertical tubes placed in the same vertical plane,

the vertical tubes in each vertical plane and the carrier tubes resting on the support means connected to said vertical tubes in said plane forming a rightangled network,

each of said tube packages resting on a plurality of said carrier tubes.

2. In a heat transfer apparatus as defined in claim 1 and wherein a plurality of said support means connected to the spaced vertical heating tubes which are in the same plane and the carrier tubes resting on said support means are placed on one side of said spaced vertical heating tubes, and the balance of said support means and carrier tubes resting thereon are placed at the opposite side of the vertical heating tubes which are in the same plane.

3. In a heat transfer apparatus as defined in claim 1:

a first header for the fluid to be heated placed at the top of said chamber,

a second header placed at the bottom of said chamber,

said spaced vertical heating tubes interconnecting said headers for passing relatively cool fluid from the first header to the second header in parallel relation through said spaced vertical heating tubes and thereby heating the fluid to a higher temperature, and

a third header placed at the top of said chamber, at least the tubes lining one of said walls and forming carrier tubes being connected to said second header for receiving the higher temperature fluid therefrom and being connected to said third header for conducting the fluid from said second header to said third header 'in parallel relation through said wall lining tubes and further heating the fluid.

4. In a heat transfer apparatus as defined in claim 3:

additional tubes lining said vertical walls and being continuously adjacent to the respective vertical wall,

a fourth header,

at least said additional tubes lining one of said walls being connected to said third header to receive fluid therefrom and being connected to said fourth header to pass fluid in parallel relation through said additional wall lining tubes from said third to said fourth header.

5. In a heat transfer apparatus having a chamber passed through by hot heating gases and having vertical opposite walls, and tube packages placed in said chamber and individually having a plurality of parallel substantially horizontal tubes conducting a fluid to be heated:

a framework for supporting said tube packages, said framework including a plurality of spaced vertical heating tubes conducting a fluid to be heated and placed in at least three spaced parallel vertical planes extending across said chamber between said opposite walls, at least three vertical tubes being in each plane and substantially equally exposed to heat on all sides,

a plurality of vertically spaced support means connected to each of said vertical tubes and placed in a plurality of vertically spaced horizontal planes,

a horizontal carrier tube resting on the support means which are in the same horizontal plane and connected to the vertical tubes placed in the same vertical plane,

the vertical tubes in each vertical plane and the carrier tubes resting on the support means connected to said vertical tubes in the respective plane forming a right-angled network,

each of said tube packages resting on a plurality of said carrier tubes which are in the same horizontal plane, and

vertical tubes lining said opposite vertical walls and conducting a fluid to be heated,

the tubes of said tube packages extending at a substantially right angle to said carrier tubes,

each of said carrier tubes being formed by a portion of one of said wall lining tubes and comprising two parallel coextending parts, and a return bend portion connecting said two parts and being placed in said chamber distant from the respective wall lining tubes, and the return bend portions of carrier tubes formed by portions of tubes lining opposite walls being pairwise adjacent to one another.

6. In a heat transfer apparatus according to claim 5 and wherein each of said portions of the wall lining tubes forming horizontal carrier tubes includes a part placed at an angle with respect to the horizontal and parallel to the plane of the respective wall and adjacent to tubes lining said wall.

7. In a heat transfer apparatus according to claim 5 and wherein said return bend portions are substantially in the middle between said opposite walls of said chamber.

8. In a heat transfer apparatus according to claim 5 and wherein said pairwise adjacent return bend portions overlap one anotther.

9. In a heat transfer apparatus according to claim 5 and wherein each of said portions of wall lining tubes forming a carrier tube has a first horizontal part adjacent to at least one of said wall lining tubes and parallel to the wall lined by said tubes, and has a second part extending at a right angle from the tube-lined wall and 3 resting on a plurality of said support means which are FOREIGN PATENTS 1n the same honzontal and vertlcal plane. 89802 France June 1944 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS OTHER REFERENCES 1,296,799 Hennig Mar, 11, 1919 German application Ser. No. C9972, printed Jan. 10, 

